Managing Public Expectations Planning as a democratic process

- Representative democracy is the bedrock of planning
- Increasing calls for participative democracy Planning as a democratic process

• Councillors have 2 roles: • Ward councillors: community leaders • Committee: • decisions in accordance with plan & other considerations. • represent the interests of the whole community

• Local opposition or support for a proposal is not in itself a ground for refusing or granting planning permission, unless it is founded upon valid material planning reasons. Localism and planning decisions

“It cannot be that a strategic facility to provide for the needs of a very wide area can be decided solely on the basis that the local community do not wish it to be located within their area…… If applied widely, this could hold up economic recovery as well as deprive future generations of important developments and facilities.”

“There is nothing …… which indicates that…. a particular, and in this instance, very localised group of residents should be able to prevent planning permission being granted simply because they do not want it.” Public Representations

• are background papers and public documents

• should be included with the agenda or at least summarised in a consistent way.

• be reported to the meeting should they be received after the agenda has gone out (with a cut off period) Public speaking

• Publish scheme in their constitution/on website.

• May be local limitations on number of speakers for each ‘side’

• Allow an equal amount of time for • representations ‘for’ and ‘against’ the application Neighbourhood Planning mechanisms

- **Neighbourhood Development Plans**: Once ‘made’ (passed examination and referendum) are part of the development plan, and therefore used as a policy framework for the determination of planning applications.

- **Assets of Community Value** – can be a material consideration eg Kensal Rise Library. Neighbourhood Planning mechanisms

- **Community Right to Build**: Whilst maintaining the principle of the green belt, communities will be able to develop land subject to doing the work and passing examination and referendum (via an NDO).

- **Neighbourhood Development Orders**: Like Local Development Orders (bestowing PD rights) but made by the Parish/Forum. Neighbourhood Planning Steps

STEP 1: Get informed: mycommunityrights E.g. Locality ‘Road Map’

STEP 2: Designate Neighbourhood Planning Area + Forum

STEP 3: Consultation and community engagement

STEP 4: Local Authority publicise the plan

STEP 5: Examination of plan

STEP 6: Referendum

STEP 7: Plan Made!

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Association of Democratic Services Officers